Week 10 2009 NFL Season Picks and Predictions

We've watched Peyton Manning be Peyton Manning. Brett Favre looks better than he has in a decade, while personally sticking it to his old team, the Green Bay Packers.

By the way, there won't be a winless team this season, as the Tampa Bay Buccaneers found a way to carve their place among one win teams in week 9. Going into week 10 we have two unbeaten teams in the Indianapolis Colts and the New Orleans Saints. Here's my picks and predictions for week 10.

1. Chicago Bears (4-4, Road 1-3) vs. San Francisco 49ers (3-5, Home 2-2)

For all the hoopla concerning Jay Cutler's arrival in Chicago, the Bears are finding out having an elite quarterback is only one piece of the puzzle. You need an offensive line to give you time to throw and you need receivers who can go get the ball. The bears have neither, plus an aging, banged up defense to top it off. San Francisco features a hungry Mike Singletary coached defense, and a top flight running back in Frank Gore. Look for the 49ers to get Gore at least 25 touches. The 49ers are at home, and the Bears are pretty bad on the road. San Fran wins by a field goal.

2. Denver Broncos (6-2, Road 3-1) vs. Washington Redskins (2-6, Home 2-2)

The Redskins are a mess. They are at the pit of the NFC east, and Jim Zorn seems to have lost control of his team. The media is calling for Zorn's job, and the teams' owner, Dan Snyder has made offseason blunder after blunder. The Broncos are one of the surprise teams of the 2009 NFL season. Orton is one of the better game managers in the NFL. Furthermore, the Bronco defense is one of the better defenses in a league, with their aging, but all world secondary. Look for the Broncos to get back on track after their week 9 home loss to the Steelers.

3. Atlanta Falcons (5-3, Road 1-3) vs. Carolina Panthers (3-5, Home 1-2)

This is a matchup between two teams with good defenses and excellent running games. Offensively, the Falcons will rely heavily on Michael "the burner" Turner, and Tony Gonzalez. The Panthers are starting to get out of their own way. Finally Jake Delhomme is just handing the ball off. Carolina pulls it out in a close one.

4. Buffalo (3-5, Road 2-2) vs. Tennessee (2-6, Home 1-2)

Buffalo is simply not a good football team. The T.O. experiment has failed miserably. The defense is shaky at best, and Trent Edwards seems incapable of throwing a pass beyond 20 yards. Tennessee has underachieved all season long. Since being inserted in the starting lineup, Vince Young has been showing why the Titans made him their no. 3 pick back in 2006. The Titans have won their last two, and Chris Johnson has looked like one of the best 3 running backs in the league. The Titans win easily at home.

5. New Orleans Saints (8-0, Road 3-0) vs. St.Louis (1-7, Home 0-3)

St. Louis may be the worst team in the NFL. The lone bright spot for the Rams is their running back Stephen Jackson who continues to be the definition of professional. Jackson is still one of the most productive backs in the league, but he can't save an anemic offense by himself. The Saints have been the biggest surprise of the 2009 campaign. We knew they'd be able to score, but a very opportunistic defense has been the key to the Saints undefeated record. Drew Brees may be the midseason MVP. The Saints win in a laugher.

6. Cincinnati Bengals (6-2, Road 3-0) vs. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2, Home 4-0)

The Bengals are good, really good. They have all the pieces to contend for a championship. Surprisingly, Marvin Lewis appears to have finally got the Bengal defense playing aggressive, physical football. Ocho Cinco is focused, and Carson Palmer is healthy. Cedric Benson looks like a stud at running back. With all that being said, they are running into the best team in the AFC. The Steelers are starting to look like superbowl champions, having won their last four in a row. Troy Polamalu is healthy. He's the heart and soul of the Steeler defense. Rashard mendenhall has taken the featured back position, and injected some serious life into the Steeler rushing attack. Plus, the Steelers don't lose at Heinz field. The Steelers win by a touchdown.

7. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-4, Road 1-3) vs. New York Jets (4-4, Home 2-2)

Mark Sanchez and the Jets have come crashing down to earth in the last few weeks, after a 3-1 start. Some of the early bravado displayed by safety Kerri Rhodes, linebacker Bart Scott and the Jets coach Rex Ryan has disappeared. The Jaguars are a fairly average team. Maurice Jones Drew makes all the difference in the world for the Jaguar offense. If he's able to get going, that will set up play action throws for quarterback David Garrard. However, the Jaguars aren't very good on the road. The Jets win at home.

8. Detroit Lions (1-7, Road 0-4) vs. Minnesota (7-1, Home 3-0)

The Lions are terrible on both sides of the ball. Stafford is coming off a 5 interception game. It won't get any better against a very stingy Viking defense. Look for Stafford to be under constant pressure. Adrian Peterson could have a monster day. Brett Favre will have no problem picking apart one of the worst defenses in the NFL. The Vikings crush the Lions.

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-7, Road 0-3) vs. Miami Dolphins (3-5, Home 2-2)

The Bucs are coming off their first win of the season. They appear to have found their quarterback in rookie first rounder Josh Freeman. He'll allow them to keep the game competitive in the battle for Florida. The Dolphins are still looking to recapture the same success they experienced in the 2008 season. The wildcat is still a huge part of the dolphin offensive arsenal. They've lost some close games this season. A home game against the Buccaneers is just what the doctor ordered. Dolphins win by a touchdown.

10. Kansas City Chiefs (1-7, Road 1-3) vs. Oakland Raiders (2-6, Home 1-3)

Both of these AFC west teams are really bad football teams. Neither team can move the ball consistently, or stop an opposing offense. The Chiefs may have done some addition by subtracting, by cutting ineffective running back Larry Johnson. It still won't be enough to get a win in the "Black Hole" Oakland wins the week 10 battle of the weak.

11. Philadelphia Eagles (5-3, Road 2-1) vs. San Diego Chargers (5-3, Home 2-2)

The Eagles are coming off a tough loss to NFC east rival Dallas. The Chargers are coming off a Phillip Rivers led come from behind victory against the New York Giants. Rivers has been one of the most clutch quarterbacks in recent years, though its sad to see Ladanian Tomlinson be a shell of his former self. With the Cowboys starting to hit their stride, the Eagles need to win this game. And they will.

12. Dallas Cowboys (6-2, Road 3-1) vs. Green Bay Packers (4-4, Home 2-2)

After their win in Philadelphia, the Cowboys are looking like one of the better teams in the NFC. With Miles Austin looking like a young Marvin Harrison, and Tony Romo finally taking care of the football, Dallas has become a very dangerous offensive team. The Packers are somewhat of an enigma. Playing in vaunted Lambeau Field no longer means certain victory for the Packers. The Pack are in desperate need of an offensive line. Aaron Rodgers has been running for his life the entire 2009 season. Things won't get better for him this week with Demarcus Ware coming to town. The Cowboys by a field goal.

13. Seattle Seahawks (3-5, Road 0-3) vs. Arizona Cardinals (5-3, Home 1-3)

The Hawks have had a ton of injuries, in what has been a disappointing season. Kurt Warner comes off his best game of the season, having carved the Bears secondary up for five touchdowns. Anquan Boldin should return to the starting lineup, which gives a boost to one of the better passing offenses in the league. Look for the Cardinals to extend the Hawks road losing streak.

14. New England Patriots (6-2, Road 1-2) vs. Indianapolis Colts (8-0, Home 4-0)

This is the game of the week. Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady. Two of the better teams in the AFC square off sunday night on national television. Peyton Manning has shown all season why he is arguably the best quarterback in the NFL. However, the Colts defense is reeling without their leader safety Bob Sanders, and cornerback Marlin Jackson, both out for the season. With that being said, expect Moss, Welker, and Brady to make big plays against the Colt secondary. The Colts lose their first game of the season in a close one.

15. Baltimore Ravens (4-4, Road 1-3) vs. Cleveland (1-7, Home 0-3)

Baltimore has lost some tough games this season, including twice to division rival Cincinnati. While the offense is improved in comparison to years past, the defense is aging. Teams can now do what was once unthinkable, run the ball on the Raven defense. However, the Browns are terrible from top to bottom, including the coach. The Browns are the perfect cure for what ails the Ravens. The Ravens handily win a sad monday night football matchup.